Alice-in-wonderland picnics at Tara Devi temple in Shimla

Living in Shimla, our weekend excursions mostly meant strolling on the Mall Road, enjoying pastries from Trishool bakery, softy from the Ridge and dinner at the Baljees or Fascination restaurant.

There were picnics to nearby places, too, with our cousins. I still relish the memory of sandwiches and aloo paranthas that my mother and aunt would pack for these outings. All cousins would frequently demand to go to Tara Devi and Sankatmochan temples. Tara Devi temple is situated on a hilltop with panoramic views of Shimla. One had to trek through a thick forest to reach the summit. We would click pictures with our favourite HotShot camera on way to the temple.

There was another small Shiv temple, situated below the Tara Devi temple, and could be approached through a narrow and winding path through the forest. Its serene surroundings with wildflowers growing all around made it a magical place. It felt like we were in ‘Alice in Wonderland’. The final temple on our itinerary used to be the Sankatmochan temple which also had swings and an open space to play, making it an ideal picnic spot.

We grew up in an era when technology had not penetrated our lives. We didn’t have any fancy gadgets, yet we found so much joy in simple pleasures of life — hiking through forests, discovering hidden waterfalls, holding ladybirds in our hands, enjoying the warmth of fire during winters, building snow castles.

These cherished childhood memories of Shimla are something that I always hold dear. The mountains may have been left behind but I remain a pahadi girl at heart, deeply in love with my roots.

Sunaina Dadhwal, Bangalore

Himachal Tribune